Page 107 of Sexting the Single Pakhan

We’re family, and with our baby on the way, I couldn’t be happier.

After dropping Alexei off at school, Dmitri drives me to the upscale shopping district downtown. The city is alive with holiday lights and last-minute shoppers.

We park near the boutique strip. “I won’t be buying much, I’ll be done before lunch,” I say to Dmitri s I step out.

“Okay ma’am.”

The smile he’s trying to hide, tells me he doesn’t believe me. Yeah, I’m proving him wrong today.

The moment we step inside, any item my hand touches, Dmitri is quick to carry.

“I can carry that myself,” I tell him for the third time today, reaching for a small wrapped candle.

He shakes his head once. “No, ma’am. I can’t let you do that. Besides, Mr. Volkov would kill me if he found out I let you carry anything heavier than your phone.”

I laugh shaking my head as I pick up a delicate crystal vase from the display. The new housekeeper mentioned she loves flowers; I could add this to her Christmas presents. I hand it to Dmitri. He adds it to the growing pile in his arms.

“You must really respect him,” I say softly, glancing at Dmitri as we move to the next shop.

He doesn’t hesitate. “I owe everything I am to him. I used to get into a lot of trouble, fights, bad crowds, headed straight for prison. But Mr. Volkov gave me a chance. Helped me get clean. Because of him, my family is protected. My sister’s in college. My mom’s mortgage is paid off. His men… we’re all loyal to him. He not only pays us, he looks after us.”

My heart tugs hard. Hearing Dmitri speak about Leonid with such reverence, makes something warm bloom in my chest. This is the man I love. The one who builds loyalty out of broken people, who protects those he cares about.

We finish shopping. Dmitri carries the shopping bags. I reply to Leonid’s latest text as we walk back to the car:

Me: Just finished. Heading home now.

I’m about to hit send when a loud bang goes off and the phone gets knocked off my hand, causing me to let out a shriek.

Another bang goes off, and I realize it’s gunshot. Dmitri’s body slams into mine, shoving me down behind a parked car. “Get down!” he roars, drawing his weapon in one fluid motion.

More shots ring out, glass shatters somewhere close. I hit the pavement hard, knees scraping, hands instinctively curling around my belly. Dmitri is on top of me, shielding me completely as he fires back to the shooters, while screaming words into his watch. Probably asking for backup.

More shots ring out, and I hear Dmitri groan, and I open my eyes to see blood coating his shirt.

“No—” The word chokes out of me.

Hands grab me from behind. Hooded figures in black yank me up and away from Dmitri’s body. I scream, thrashing, kicking, trying to get back to him.

“Let me go! Dmitri!”

He opens his mouth trying to speak, hands moving like he’s trying to get on his feet, but his effort is useless as blood spills from his mouth and he falls to the pavement.

Tears spill down my cheeks. “No! Dmitri!” Let me go!”

They drag me toward a waiting van. One of them hisses, “Shut her up.”

Another says, “She’s pregnant. Be careful with her.”

A third snaps, “Not our business. Instructions are to bring her alive to the boss. Nothing about the baby.”

Panic surges. My arms wrap tighter around my stomach as they shove me into the back of the van. The door slams. Tires squeal.

“You’re going to regret this, Leonid will find you and…”

“Shut up, bitch!”

Something hard connects with my face and blackness creeps in.